Gama spoke to Caroline Grolleau, Product Manager, Color Foods.
What are your day-to-day activities as Product Manager?
I am responsible for the strategic and operational aspects of our marketing function. I carry out market research and analyze our sales in order to define avenues for future development and to support the activities of the sales teams. I also contribute to the business’s strategic decision making through our executive committee meetings. My day-to-day work is focused on product and packaging development as well as PR and communications.
What key trends do you expect to shape food and drink innovation in 2015?
Consumers want to have control over what they eat but their lifestyles are evolving. Manufacturers therefore have to meet a number of needs through their product development: natural, indulgent, convenient and on-the-go are the strongest trends at this moment in time.
What should manufacturers do to be successful in the current economic climate?
Companies have to continue to adapt to their environment, which means investing in industrial equipment to optimise processes but also in the strategic ‘equipment’ that will help to define objectives and priorities. Its about remaining competitive and staying one step ahead in a complex climate.
How do companies best achieve growth in developed or saturated markets?
Innovation is still the best way for a brand to differentiate itself in a saturated market. It’s also important to provide real point of sale solutions as a means of boosting the retail environment through targeted promotions and specific merchandising. Shelf positioning needs to be clear and should facilitate product purchase. That requires an in-depth understanding of shoppers and how they access the category in question.
From a marketing perspective, how is the way companies are looking to reach and engage with consumers changing? How can a brand successfully resonate with consumers?
It is fundamental to start by defining and studying your target customer very well – there are many tools that allow you to do this – in turn allowing you to establish your communication strategy (choice of messages and of platforms / strategy). Then, once a consumer has purchased the product, it needs to live up to its promises in order to build loyalty and an emotional bond between brand and consumer. Ultimately, it is important never to rest on your laurels. You always need to have a broad outlook and anticipate the evolution of the market.